How To Choose The Best Pillow For Neck Pain?

Reviewed By: Pramod Kerkar, MD, FFARCSI

Do you often wake up feeling dull and awful about the night's sleep? Do you feel as if you kept on turning and tossing in bed; with your neck feeling stiff and painful? It is probably because you have not had a good night's sleep, which can only add to your neck pain.

It is necessary to appreciate the importance of a comfortable and refreshing sleep. If you are already suffering from neck pain it becomes all the more essential as a good night's sleep can help the muscles to relax and pain can actually reduce to some extent. On the contrary, if you do not get proper sleep, your muscles can get even more tensed and hurt more. Additionally, it can make you more irritable and more vulnerable to pain.

The most important factor that contributes to the quality of sleep in such cases is the pillow that supports your neck during sleep. A wrong pillow can worsen pain just as much the right pillow can be more supportive and relaxing. So analyze your health condition, your ways of sleeping, based on your requirements and find the best pillow that suits your criteria. Investing in a good pillow can help in managing neck pain and preventing further damage.

How To Choose The Best Pillow For Neck Pain?

Characteristics of Best Pillow For Neck Pain

Pillows are available in varying sizes and shapes and it is possible to get tempted for any one of those. But do not go for just any pillow; there are few characteristics that make a pillow good for use; particularly neck pain.

Spinal Curvature: A pillow is meant for neck support while resting, in such a manner that it complements the natural curvature of the spine to maintain the bone and muscle health. If the pillow is too low or too high, it can cause the neck to bend abnormally, which can strain the neck and back muscles. It can also cause difficulty in breathing or snoring, which is again a sleep disturbance.

Relaxing: A pillow is used to provide rest and comfort to the user when sleeping. It is ideal that the pillow is firm, soft and comfortable for you. It should help to relax your strained muscles and provide proper sleep.

Adaptable: As the requirement for pillow height varies with sleeping positions, it is better to have pillows that can be adjusted according to your need and sleeping position.Advice regarding pillow use can be found in every corner but you need to realize your ways of living and your prerequisites. People differ in their ways of sitting, sleeping and other postures or habits. So the first important step is to identify your sleeping style; whether you sleep on your back, on your tummy or on the sides.

Choose The Best Pillow Depending On Your Sleeping Style For Neck Pain:

Pillows for Those Sleeping on the Back- The height of the pillow should be less and it should support the head, neck and shoulders as well. This can provide the required support to the neck and the entire spine. So go for thin pillows. For additional support to the back, you can place a pillow under the knees so that they are slightly raised, thus relaxing the back muscles.

Pillows For Those Sleeping On The Tummy- This position generally calls for a very thin pillow or ideally to avoid using any pillow. When lying on the stomach, the head is turned to either side and is best if it is directly rested on the mattress to maintain the neck and spine curvature. For additional support, you can place a pillow under your tummy to support the natural spine curvature.

Pillows For Those Sleeping On The Sides- In this position, the body rests on either shoulders, so the pillow should be firm and of some height to make up for the gap between the shoulder and the head while supporting the neck. It should support the spinal curvature and equal weight distribution. For additional support a small pillow can be placed under the waist.

Different Types of Pillows for Neck Pain

Just like any other commodity, a wide range of pillows are available in the market. They come on different sizes, shapes and dimensions. Some pillows are specially designed pillows like cervical pillow, which has additional support in the cervical or neck region, memory pillow, side pillow and all-purpose pillow.

The material used or fillings in the pillows also vary a great deal like latex pillows and memory foam. Some pillows with water cushion are also available, where the amount of water can be adjusted to obtain the required height for the pillow. Additionally, in some, the water cushion inside the pillow can be microwave-heated and used to relax tensed neck muscles or cooled and used for acute neck pain.

As a part of natural instinct, make sure the pillow you use does not hurt you; if it does there is something that needs attention. Your pillow should help you relax your strained neck and offer a rejuvenating sleep. So, make a wise decision and have a good sleep.